PSN: Edited chapter. Added some things. Yo! Updated chapter 4 so yeah, read okay? Hope you enjoy it.

Beta-ed by the lovely: PhantomHitman1412


DISLCLAIMER: Sadly it has been deduced that I am not the rightful owner of KHR. All rights to Akira Amano.


Oh keep your friends close and your enemies closerSun Tzu


"Ladies and gentlemen," Enrico began. He glanced at the paper that he held in his hands and sighed before scrunching it up and tossed it in the bin that had become overfilled with paper. He ran a hand through his hair and breathed in calmly, trying to calm his fraying nerves. He had to be in control in this situation and not lose it.

Things were not going his way thus far. His guardians had yet to arrive and he did not know what to say on behalf of his father for the funeral. He hadn't really known his father as well as some of the people who worked in the establishment. He didn't even have the time to. His father had thrown him out when he was in his early teens and they had not been in a good relationship. His father had cut all ties with him and he was forced to do the same, albeit reluctantly. It was a depressing story really and Enrico didn't deserve it. He had only dreamed of a superior and stronger Vongola but the idea that he proposed seemed to anger his father enough to banish him. He had been replaced by his now step-brother Xanxus.

He had yet to talk to Xanxus and this made him feel even more stressed. He had only arrived two days ago but it seemed like a long time. The authority that has been bestowed on him unintentionally had overwhelmed him initially but he had gotten used to it. People still whispered in hushed tones when he walked past them in corridors and hallways, glancing furtively at his retreating back as they gossiped gruesome tales that were not true. Many people were still wary of him and some had even proposed the idea that this was all staged. That he had been waiting for his father's death all along. Enrico had been a hit and miss for some people. Either they accepted him or they felt threatened by his presence.

Most opted for the latter.

Ridiculous, he thought. I'm here to change Vongola only and make it better. We've become a joke.

"Ugh!" he groaned in disgust as he gripped his pen and began to write yet another speech for the umpteenth time that day. He gripped his pen even tighter and bit his lip as he concentrated on the paper, willing his brain to spill out the words that would warm the audience to his favour. He wanted to exude the 'victim' aura so that people would feel safer around him. He wanted to talk about his father and how he had thrown him out without any reason and warning which was perhaps why many people were surprised that the Ninth had an official heir. He wanted them to cry at the end of his speech and welcome him as their new boss. He wanted many things and yet he couldn't write a single word at the moment without contradicting himself.

He knew that there would be many questions. Especially regarding Tsunayoshi.

He smirked as he remembered him. The spiky-haired boy with the permanently surprised face. His father must have been surprised when he was betrayed by the very one whom he trusted. It showed that you couldn't trust just anyone. His father would still have been alive had he not chosen Tsunayoshi as his official heir and opted for either Xanxus or himself.

The mafia world had been in an uproar when they discovered that little innocent Tsunayoshi had killed the leader of the most powerful and influential family. They had been shocked and many people had cut ties with the family, fearing for their own lives. Enrico had been pleased; he did not have to do the dirty work of cutting ties with weak families such as those who couldn't take a little controversy.

Tsunayoshi's blood was wanted and many had decided to take revenge on behalf of the Ninth. The boy was locked in Vendice all alone with nobody to protect him but the guards. He doubted that even there he had sympathy from them. Murdering allies was a heinous crime in the mafia word and he had committed an outrageous act which had permanently tainted the name of Vongola. To think that a small boy such as Tsunayoshi had it in him had surprised the mafia world all over. They had all embraced him and enjoyed his company without knowing that his devious brain was masterminding an even deceitful plan that would rock their world.

Enrico didn't know the boy but he felt sorry for his father who was now about to go 16 feet under for even trusting him in the first place. He had ironically rejected his own family in favour of an orphan boy whose past was unknown.

"Stupid man," he said with a shake of his head as his pen balanced precariously on his nose. He rocked back and forth in his chair and adopted a contemplative face as he waited for an inspiration to come. Anything that would cement his fate as the new Vongola heir and boss. He had to start from somewhere and have the people favour him before he proceeded on to the next stage of his plan.

He held the pen and was about to write something when he heard a loud assertive knock. He opened his mouth to excuse them when the door flung open with a loud burst. He raised his eyebrows as he was confronted with an angry looking Xanxus who stormed inside and stood by his desk.

"I heard you came," he growled menacingly, his red eyes casting over him.

"Boss!"

Both men spun around to face what seemed to be the entire members of Varia. They all stepped inside, their faces serious as they confronted Enrico and Xanxus.

Enrico recognised only Squalo from the crowd who was now wildly swinging his sword in the air in a threatening manner, his voice loud as usual. Next to him stood a blond haired boy with a tiara. His eyes were covered with his bangs, a cheshire grin plastered on his face. By his side a green-haired boy with a huge frog hat, his face expressionless as he stood with a flamboyantly dressed man with a green and orange mohawk that complimented his colourful clothes. Next to Xanxus however, a bearded man with a tanned face stood, a solemn expression on his face as he glared at Enrico. He was wearing a rain-coat and a bag filled with umbrellas.

"Ah, I wasn't expecting so many guests here," Enrico said smoothly, a smile on his face. He stood up and extended his hands in a form of greeting. "Why don't you all sit so we can talk?"

His hands were ignored which prompted him to put them by his side in an awkward manner as they all assessed him silently, appraising him as though he were no more than a worthless object. This angered him slightly. The Varia had no right to judge him in that manner. He was after all, about to become their new boss.

"Talk is what we came here for trash," Xanxus growled as he sat down on the chair opposite Enrico. The others opted to stay standing—perhaps out of respect for their boss? Enrico wondered.

"VOIII! We know what you want!" Squalo shouted, his sword still swinging wildly in the air.

"Ushishi~ let the boss talk first Squalo," the tiara boy said, grinning manically at Enrico.

"Shut up," Xanxus snarled at them, his red eyes wild. With a sombre expression he faced Enrico and barked loudly at him. The scars on his face coloured visibly which proved that he was really angry. "Don't think we came here to make allies with you. The Varia as of now will become independent from your Vongola. We do not need you!"

"Yes, independent," the man with the rain-coat mimicked as he imitated Xanxus's expression.

The other Varia members stared at him, daring him to disagree with Xanxus's proposal.

"Well," Enrico began slowly, the information sinking in. "I'm surprised. Was Varia not independent in the first place or was I mistaken in thinking so?"

"Yes you are mistaken in thinking so," the green-haired boy said his face still expressionless. "Right boss?"

They all watched Xanxus but he remained silent. He seemed to be brooding over something and Enrico wondered if he had already sent his message across. Perhaps that is why he ignored the direct question posed to him.

"Ushishi~ boss has already told you what you need to know. We all know that you were banished a long time ago by the Ninth," the blond-haired boy said with a smirk. In his hands he held knifes that he was playing around with and every so often he would throw some into the green-haired boy's hat. The boy would only protest mildly ("Don't do that Bel.") and throw it back, which would restart the cycle. Enrico had already become bored watching.

Squalo nodded and pointed his sword at Enrico, his eyes narrowed into tiny slits. "Don't think we're stupid."

Enrico feigned a shocked expression as he looked around the room. "Oh I'm sorry; I thought that I hid my past well. But as you know, I'm not the same Enrico that my father had banished. If you guys stay with me and become my allies, you would have the pleasure of being elevated to higher position. Perhaps I was mistaken in thinking so."

Xanxus looked up then, his eyes trained on Enrico.

"Don't get us wrong you trash!" he hissed as he leaned forward. "We don't need Vongola. Vongola needs us."

"Oooh," the flamboyantly dressed man squealed, speaking for the first time. "This is getting me excited. Boss really means business."

Enrico was shocked and taken aback by their vehement force. He shook his head and this time he appraised the bunch of people loitering in his office. The Varia. He had heard rumours about them whilst he was banished and travelling around the world from other people. Their ruthlessness and their cold nature when assassinating other people in their missions. They had never failed a mission and made the impossible possible with their faultless team-work. This fascinated him and he knew that he wanted these types of people by his side when he upgraded Vongola. These were the type of people he wished for. Not Dino who seemed to have no backbone at all, but the Varia, the ruthless assassins who were known for their cold-heartedness.

"I see," he said slowly, a plan quickly forming in his mind. "So there is no way to persuade you, is there?" He smiled and rummaged through his desk-drawer, his eyes trained on them all the while. But before he could grab anything he was interrupted by a loud knock.

He gave them an apologetic look and barked. "Come in!"

Luigi shuffled in and looked at the Varia members before he faced Enrico.

"They're here. Your guardians are finally here."


Gokudera's home:

Gokudera was in the midst of packing his bag when he stumbled across a picture. He gazed at it with reminiscence. It was a picture taken last summer with the rest of the Guardians. The Arcaboleno had taken them to a summer resort in Venice and they had had an amazing day. The Tenth looked so happy with his arms around Yamamoto and him. He remembered fighting with Yamamoto. He had wanted to stand at the Tenth's right-hand side because of his title as the right-hand man. It was silly now that he thought about it. He wished he could go back to that day and forget about all his worries and still be around the Tenth.

"I will get you back," he avowed as he packed the picture in his luggage. He smiled as he finished packing, his eyes watering. He wiped away his tears and stood up. He needed to pack Lambo's bag too as the little cow was too lazy and stupid to do it himself. He was 10 years old now and still needed help in nearly everything.

"Oi, stupid cow!" he yelled as he walked towards the stairs. "Where did you put your bag? We're going in a bit."

"Lambo-san will pack himself!" came the loud reply.

The cow was sitting in the game-room, playing a video game that he had become obsessed with. He had been so focused on it that he almost forgot to eat—Gokudera had to coax him most of the time.

"Suit yourself," he said as he walked down the stairs. He was feeling thirsty and wanted to satiate his thirst before he left. He walked towards his kitchen, his eyes trained on the fridge. His eyes fell on a figure sitting on his table drinking what suspiciously seemed to be milk. He ignored it and opened his fridge and grabbed a bottle of apple juice.

"Hey Gokudera," he heard and his heart nearly stopped, prompting him to spill some of his juice.

"Agh!" he screamed and he hated himself for sounding like such a girl. "Yamamoto you bastard, you nearly gave me a heart-attack!"

Yamamoto merely laughed and rubbed at his cheek. "Oh, I didn't mean to. I just got your text and decided to visit."

Gokudera rolled his eyes and finished his juice. He wiped his mouth and said,"Well, then shouldn't you be packing your bag instead of visiting people?"

Yamamoto laughed. "I already did. I was on my way here anyway; I wanted to ask you something."

Gokudera raised his eyebrows and waited for him to continue.

"About Enrico," he said, his eyes dimming. "Is he really the Ninth's son?"

"What? I thought you were going to ask something serious, you moron! Of course he is the Ninth's son. You should ask me whether or not he even should be the legitimate tenth. The bastard will never take the Tenth's place," his fists were clenched and he gritted his teeth. "I get so angry whenever I remember how humiliated I felt."

"It was a shock, huh?" Yamamoto said. He set aside his milk. "But wasn't Tsuna acting odd after last summer?"

"You bastard! What are you trying to imply? Are you trying to insinuate that the Tenth had committed the murder?"

"No, but..." Yamamoto paused contemplatively, "he wasn't himself."

"So? He was going through a phase. It happens to all of us and it has nothing to do with the Ninth's murder. The Tenth is not capable of that!"

Gokudera's face was red with anger. How dare Yamamoto even suggest that the Tenth was involved in the murder? The very idea was preposterous. How could he call himself the rain guardian when he posed such threatening ideas? Gokudera firmly believed in the Tenth's innocence. He was sure that Enrico was involved somehow.

"I'm not saying Tsuna did anything. I'm just commenting on his odd behaviour," Yamamoto amended.

It was true that after the summer in Venice, the Tenth had changed slightly. At first it was a small unnoticeable change. He didn't want to eat and he had become moody. His eyes were always sorrowful and the light had extinguished. He had retreated into a shell that even Gokudera couldn't penetrate. Gokudera even remembered him snapping at him because he accidently closed the door loudly when he visited his room. He had never snapped at such trivial matters and it worried him. But regardless of that he knew that deep down there was a reason for why he was acting like that. Something had happened to him after their trip in Venice which changed his attitude.

But Gokudera was sure it was not linked to the Ninth's murder.

"Did you know about Reborn?" Gokudera asked suddenly.

Yamamoto shook his head.

"He was the one who called the Vendice on the Tenth. The Tenth had a chance to run away but Reborn ruined it!"

Yamamoto's eyes widened with surprise. "Reborn? I'm sure he has a good reason," he said with a nervous laugh.

"No way," Gokudera said, "no reason is good enough for that. I thought Reborn could be trusted. The Tenth does not have to stay there all alone in Vendice. I will catch Enrico and save him."

"Enrico?" Yamamoto seemed clueless.

"It was Enrico," he said simply as he grabbed another juice from the fridge. He drained it and threw the bottle in the bin. "I'm sure of it. He murdered the Ninth and framed the Tenth."

"How?" Yamamoto asked, his eyebrows raised.

"I don't know yet," Gokudera said as he looked at Yamamoto's curious face. "But I do know one thing. He returned with an intention. We'll prove the Tenth's innocence and catch Enrico out. That is why we're going back to Namimori. I have formed a plan that will save the Tenth."


Unknown area:

The light was hurting his eyes. He clenched his eyes shut, willing the light to go away. It was painful. It didn't help that the headache from earlier had not subsided and he was feeling excruciating pain on the left side of his head. He felt extremely nauseas and retched internally as he held in the bile that was threatening to come out of his mouth. He wanted to turn around but something was strapping him down. Encumbering him from any free movement. The only part of his body he could move was his head which was a relief. He could breathe at least and inhale in the scent of the room which was refreshing. He looked at the ceiling and briefly wondered how long he had been out and why he was strapped down in the first place. Why he was here, in an unfamiliar place, treated like a felon. As though he had committed something unspeakable.

"Ugh," he groaned as he gradually opened his eyes, his eyes yet to become attuned to the bright light that hit straight through his iris. The strong light above him directly hit his eyes and he felt them water. He blinked slowly and waited for his eyes to used to the bright light. Moments later his eyes became adjusted to the brightness and he surveyed his surrounding slowly. He could faintly distinguish the sounds of machines whirring. He craned his neck in order to identify the source of the noise but he felt pressure applied to his chest as somebody held him down.

"Tsunayoshi, you are awake," one of the Cervello women said, her face impassive as usual as she gazed at him. She held him down with her hands and nodded to the other Cervello who were loitering by, communicating through her eyes. "You are an interesting fellow. I'm glad you are awake."

"What am I doing here?" he said, his voice rising in alarm He looked around properly and noticed that he was the one strapped down by the machines. He bit his lip in order to contain his panic and breathed in calmly as he tried to assess a suitable way to react to the situation. There was a plausible reason for this. He would find it. Panicking wouldn't get him anywhere and he needed to have a cool head. He would get out of this situation.

"Hmm," she mused as she peeled off her gloves and handed it to the other Cervello who was standing nearby. She held her clipboard tightly in her arms and nodded quietly to herself as she ticked off various things. "We were assessing you as we promised. The boss will arrive soon and then we can talk about this," she motioned to the machines he was strapped in, "this is merely phase 2. Sadly some results were inconclusive and I need to run it with the boss."

Tsuna craned his neck to look at her clipboard but it took a lot of effort so he resorted to lying on his back and waiting. It was infuriating how he was strapped down without any prior explanation. He just wanted to retrieve his memory and live a good life, even though that idea seemed far-fetched since he was currently being chased for a murder he had not committed. He remembered suddenly and it made him flush with anger. They knew he hadn't killed anybody and he was being blamed whilst the real perpetrator ran free. Who knew who its next victim would be? He wished that he could remember the events of that night so that he could retrace his steps. Was he with the man before he died? How did the murder-weapon get in his hands? Was he also a victim in this story? He had so many questions that thinking about the event gave him a headache.

"Do you know why I lost my memory?" he asked as the Cervello standing next to him looked up from her clipboard briefly. "Anything from your experiment?"

She sighed and hid the clipboard from her swiftly. "I know you are confused at the moment Tsunayoshi, however you have to wait until the boss gets here. He will be here in 5 minutes maximum. After he arrives we will discuss the results we have obtained while you were unconscious. Now just rest."

Tsuna didn't like how she traipsed around the question and never directly answered him. He didn't like how they were conversing secretly in hushed whispers and glancing at him every now and then as though afraid that he would intrude on their conversation. He didn't like how he was strapped down like a wild animal who was not trusted enough to be freed. Why did he have to go through all of this in order for this so called boss who knew him to read his results? Couldn't he sit normally and wait like them? Were they scared he would run away? Where could he go?

He waited in sullen silence, taking her word for it as he waited for 5 minutes. He stared at the ceiling and tried to ignore his headache. It was getting worse as the hours passed by and he hoped that they would give him something to soothe it as the pain was now bordering towards unbearable. He counted on his breath to make himself to forget the pain. He sighed and stared at the ceiling, waiting for the boss that the Cervello promised would come. He wondered how this boss knew him and if he had been here before.

He decided to pose his question.

"Um," he began nervously as the Cervellos glanced at him with curiosity. "Did I ever come here before? You know before I lost my memory?"

The Cervello nearest to him smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'm surprised that you don't remember. You have been here since last summer and you have been part of this family for quite some time."

"Fam—ily?" he stuttered.

"Yes—" she began but she was interrupted by a loud knock. Swiftly she moved to the side and motioned for the other Cervellos to approach her. She walked to the door, her eyes suddenly frantic as she pressed the button. A screen popped up which required a password to view it. With a flurry of action she wrote it down, her eyes trained on the screen. She glanced at the others and mouthed, "It's him. He is here."

Tsuna watched all of this with curiosity. The room was suddenly filled with apprehension and the Cervellos assembled and stood in rows, their heads bowed down in respect. He gazed at the approaching figure and waited for him to enter the room. He had become curious about this boss and wondered if his memory would be restored once he looked at him. Perhaps everything would come flooding back once he took a glimpse of this boss. Now he was excited as he waited with baited breath for the boss to enter.

"Welcome boss!" the Cervellos said in unison, their heads still bowed.

He entered then, his stride purposeful. The first thing Tsuna noticed was that his were eyes covered with a black mask that concealed his face, as though he was hiding his identity. His eyes were icy blue and devoid of any emotion. Empty. He was wearing a black trench-coat and donned it with white gloves. He exuded an authoritative aura that took away his breath as he watched his approach with apprehension. His presence was suffocating. Tsuna could not identify the man before him. He could not remember ever being in contact with this man who seemed to have a concealed identity. He was sure that they had never come into contact with each other. Right now he was walking towards him, his eyes still trained on him. He stopped at the edge of the bed and continued to stare at him, making him feel uncomfortable.

"I'm disappointed in you, Tsunayoshi," he said, his deep voice echoing across the room. His hand swept through his hair endearingly, faltering slightly on his forehead. "You have betrayed me."

"Boss," the Cervello said and she stopped in her tracks when he silenced her with a cold look. He held his hands up.

"Silence," he said darkly, his cold eyes sweeping the room. "I was talking to Tsunayoshi."

She nodded meekly and stepped away, the clipboard still in her arms.

He turned to Tsuna, who watched with apprehension, fearing the man in front of him. This man made him feel agitated and afraid. He didn't know why but when the man leaned forward his heart had started palpitating furiously against his ribcage as his panic rose. His breathing became laboured and yet the man still stood by his side. He felt himself breaking into a cold sweat and tried to breathe calmly, reassuring himself that he was imagining things and that he didn't know this man.

But his instincts were screaming against him. He did know this man. He knew with every ounce of breath that this man was familiar and part of his life. How, he had yet to establish. He could feel it. But he couldn't point at it. This man was making him scared and he could feel himself shiver. He was dangerous.

"You've disappointed me, Tsunayoshi."

Where had he heard this before? He looked at the man who was now gazing coldly at him, his eyes harsh.

"I will ask you one question," he said slowly, his eyes still trained on him. His voice was cold and it made Tsuna's chest heave and his breath quicken as the boss loomed in front of him. "Why are you linked with the Ninth's death? Do you understand that you have jeopardised us and yourself when you failed this mission. Now we will have to proceed to plan B. You are a failure."

Mission? Tsuna thought. What mission was this strange man talking about? He couldn't remember anything and wondered how he had become acquainted with such a strange and scary man. This suffocating man that seemed to scare him senseless to the point he wanted to curl up and cry. This masked man who seemed to be chastising him for an action he could not remember committing. He wasn't aware of a mission and yet this man seemed so sure about him and his actions. Angry at him for something he could not remember agreeing to. He was feeling tired. He wanted his memory back so badly that he almost cried at the idea. He hadn't realised how wonderful memories were until he lost them.

Who is this and why can't I remember anything?

"What mission?" he asked calmly though his nerves were jangled. The masked man drew back in surprise.

"You do not remember?"

"Sir," the Cervello who was standing next to him finally said. "We were about to tell you. He has lost his memory and is unable to remember even the most simplest of things."

The boss shook his head and gazed warily at Tsuna. His eyes flicked back and forth as he assessed the situation, trying to keep a calm head. "So," he breathed slowly, "you are saying that he does not remember me? Or the organisation? He has become even more dangerous than I initially assumed."

"No sir," all the Cervello cried in unison.

"Then why wasn't I told this sooner?" he barked, glaring them, his eyes filled with vehemence. His cold eyes penetrated through them, his fists clenched. He hit something with his fists and Tsuna recoiled in fear. He shouted loudly which made Tsuna wince. "Why was I told this now?! When I made a fool of myself! You useless idiots! You have all humiliated me."

"Because sir," one Cervello stepped forward tentatively, her eyes flashing fear. "We weren't sure and..." she paused and looked at Tsuna. "There is something we found out. Something important and crucial."

"And?" he snapped, tapping his feet impatiently. "Get on with it!"

She looked at Tsuna again and gave him a weak smile before she produced the clipboard she had been waiting to show.

"Here sir," she held it in front of him, her knees shaking. Her hands trembled as she handed it to him.

He read it and his eyes widened with disbelief. He looked at the clipboard and then at the Cervello.

"What is the meaning of this? Are you joking?" he snapped as he threw the clipboard. It fell with a thud and Tsuna winced at the loud sound it produced. He looked at them, eyeing them one by one. "Do you expect me to believe this? It should be impossible. It is impossible. This is crazy!"

The boss was furious and he gripped something tightly in his hands, his eyes blazing with fury.

Tsuna glanced fearfully at the Cervello who shrunk back at his anger. He wanted to know what had angered him so badly but nobody was offering to enlighten him about the situation. He sighed in defeat. He was a person imprisoned in his own mind and nobody had come to safe him. Nobody had even stepped forward to enlighten him.

"We were not aware," one Cervello finally said, her voice lowered. She stood meekly at his side. "This wasn't possible until we confirmed it. Let me demonstrate, sir."

She stood by Tsuna's side and smiled apologetically at him before she inserted a needle deep into his arm. He winced at the pain and bit his lip as his eyes watered with pain. She placed electrodes on his forehead and beckoned the other Cervello forward. She walked towards a big screen and fiddled with the keys before she pointed at something.

"Do you see sir?" she said as she pointed at a black space in the middle of the screen. "We were shocked to find that Tsunayoshi has had his flames removed. This is the most unusual case by far. We have never seen anybody's flame removed like that. And we deduced that this may be one of the factors of his memory loss."

"So you are saying that he has no flames?" The boss pronounced.

"Yes sir, he has no flames currently."


PSN: Oh mayn, I'm not satisfied. But I will improve on this in the next chapter. The pace will pick up and wahay! It will be fun perhaps?

Review and tell me what you think.